Outlook change from pop to imap

A users email which is set up in outlook as pop, since he is not the only person receiving emails from this account if someone else outlook already downloaded the emails he does not get it. I want to change it in outlook to imap (in gmail its set to imap) but don't want outlook to download all emails from the beginning and having duplicate from each email, how can this be accomplished?

If one of your current email clients is already configured as POP3 and is downloading the messages from the server (and then deleting them from the server), then the messages aren't on the server any more to re-download. Sounds like that's how you have it configured now, if you say the first user isn't getting the email.

As you know, IMAP is the way to go when you're checking email on more than one device (or more than one person).

From my experience, you can't switch your email client's settings from POP to IMAP - you'd need to create the account over again (and selecting IMAP during setup).

With IMAP, you want to configure it to leave the messages on the server.

Since this user outlook picks up mail from more then one gmail account I believe what you would suggest is to filter outlook by this email and delete them all. then setup the account a IMAP, correct?
[is there a difference if I delete the emails in the file, or as you suggested to copy the file to a different location?]

Since this user outlook picks up mail from more then one Gmail account

It depends on if the emails all land in the same PST (POP) Account. Whatever happens, be aware, then POP all the email down and delete from Server.

After that:

(a) you can delete the POP account and make the IMAP account.
(b) copy the PST file to another machine (if that is the case) and import the mail. If only one machine and one user, this step is not necessary.

According to how you have described the current setup, your mails are being deleted on the server anyway at the moment. So all you need to do is to create a new imap account, and as there is nothing or not much on the server anyway the new account won't have to download much.

I agree with the general comments here, but wanted to add one. If you do get a significant number of duplicates (though you shouldn't as described), there are straightforward ways to get rid of them. The procedure is different depending on Outlook version, but can be found online (or here if you run into the problem and will post which version of Outlook you are using).

Given your constraints, download all the mail from the server on the machine you want it on. Then delete from the server so there is no mail on the server. Now set up IMAP and use that going forward.
When you say “server” to what are you referring, the email host is Gmail, and outlook downloads the mail from there to the computer.

If one of your current email clients is already configured as POP3 and is downloading the messages from the server (and then deleting them from the server), then the messages aren't on the server any more to re-download. Sounds like that's how you have it configured now, if you say the first user isn't getting the email.
It does not delete from the server (Gmail account)after download, but the way pop works, if the mail was already download to one machine the outlook on the other computer will not download that mail as it is marked read [at least I think so, and this is the reason of the complain the client has that he does not get all his emails, because email that was already download to another computer gets marked read if that outlook is set as IMAP]

As you know, IMAP is the way to go when you're checking email on more than one device (or more than one person).
Agree and this is the reason I want to change the current setting but want to do it the right way so it does not make a mass.

Yes, and so that is why it is necessary to complete all downloads and remove all from the server first.
I am not clear on this one are you referring to exchange server? In Gmail I don’t thing email should be deleted from there.

Since this user outlook picks up mail from more then one Gmail account
It depends on if the emails all land in the same PST (POP) Account. Whatever happens, be aware, then POP all the email down and delete from Server.
All other email account this client picks up is set an IMAP. A important fact needed to point out. On the account we are discussing he set folder in outlook and rules so his incoming emails get sorted in the folder according to his pre-defined settings he will not be willing that all his emails already sorted should now come in just in his main inbox folder [when deleting the pop folder and re downloading as IMAP]

After that:
(a) you can delete the POP account and make the IMAP account.
(b) copy the PST file to another machine (if that is the case) and import the mail. If only one machine and one user, this step is not necessary.
If all email will download after setting up as imap why import this will cause duplicates that want to avoid.

When you say “server” to what are you referring, the email host is Gmail, <-- I am referring to the email server.

In Gmail I don’t think email should be deleted from there. <-- If you leave the email there, you probably will download it all again when you delete the POP account and add an IMAP account to the same place.

Which version of Outlook you are using. <-- This works on any recent version of Outlook (V2002 forward).

Deleting from the server is not the bast practice.
1- you can no more access your old emails online, a lot of people use both each have their pro and take advantage from both
2- and one else who get emails from this account and is set up in outlook as IMAP all emails deleted from server will be deleted from their outlook.

The solution for the issue machinated in my question A users email which is set up in outlook as pop, since he is not the only person receiving emails from this account if someone else outlook already downloaded the emails he does not get it, is to set up the account in recent mode see https://support.google.com/mail/answer/47948?hl=en

or creating a new account as imap then importing all information from the pop folder. and delete in outlook all duplicates. [there are quick ways to do it]

I say go for it. It's been a few days of discussing. In your original question you stated "if someone else outlook already downloaded the emails he does not get it".

So that means the messages are no longer on the server, right?

Set up an IMAP account. It will connect to the server and ONLY show the messages that are currently on the server, which (according to your post) should only be a few days worth. I assume there wouldn't be that many, even if there were duplicates.

The IMAP account doesn't do anything to the messages on the server, so create the IMAP account. Let it sync. if it's not what you expected then simply delete the account from Outlook. That does not delete the messages from the server. (ASSUMING you did not override the default setting of leaving the messages on the server, which is the entire point of IMAP).

Think if your gmail account as the central repository for all of the emails. Outlook is just one of many tools you can use for accessing that repository.

No. The way outlook works with gmail. if in outlook the gmail account is set as pop (no difference how it set up in gmails setting) if more then one device receives emails from this gmail account in their outlook only the one who picks it up first will get it even if it is not deleted from the server

2. configure your current pop account (in Outlook) to remove messages from the server after downloading.

3. once that's done, open your web browser, go to gmail.com and sign into the web interface. You should notice that all of the messages are now gone.

4. now configure the new imap account and connect to gmail. (in gmail you'll need to make sure imap is enabled - i think you mentioned earlier that it was. I'd also consider disabling pop once it's all set up, to prevent someone from accidentally connecting and deleting all your email)

if someone else outlook already downloaded the emails he does not get it.

The other workaround is NOT to change anything on your side and talk to all those someone else to change their email clients setting to never remove mails from the mail server ("Leave a copy of messages on the server") and only one person within someone else will set a longest date, i.e. 999 days. ("Remove from server after n days check box" where n=999).

I don't think this article apply when gmail is the server. Iv'e never seen any emails deleted from gmail regardless wheat is set in outlook, as wall in order to receive emails on one then one device dos't seem that google take Microsoft advice and has its own suggestion as posted in previews comment.

I reviewed all comments and am at the opinion the following is the right solution,

Deleting from the server is not the bast practice.
1- you can no more access your old emails online, a lot of people use both each have their pro and take advantage from both
2- and one else who get emails from this account and is set up in outlook as IMAP all emails deleted from server will be deleted from their outlook.

The solution for the issue machinated in my question A users email which is set up in outlook as pop, since he is not the only person receiving emails from this account if someone else outlook already downloaded the emails he does not get it, is to set up the account in recent mode see https://support.google.com/mail/answer/47948?hl=en

or creating a new account as imap then importing all information from the pop folder. and delete in outlook all duplicates. [there are quick ways to do it]

How do I close this question?
I don't want to delete it as others my find value is this discussin

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